Preview — Coyote
by Linda Barnes

Delving deep into the dangerous world of illegal aliens and the deadly "coyotes" who prey on them, Boston P.I. Carlotta Carlyle is propelled into the arms of a handsome immigration agent, who may be after more than just the facts. Before long Carlotta finds herself amidst the darkest corners of Boston's subculture--forced to confront the blackest evil in men's souls.

Community Reviews

Another piece of the puzzle is put together as more is revealed about Carlotta Carlyle’s intriguing world while reading this 3rd book in the series, especially about her little sister Paolina (from the Big Sisters program). Carlotta takes her responsibility towards her little “sister” very seriously. She has been a big sister to Paolina since the little girl was 7 and has spent a lot of time with her, trying to teach her self-worth, taking her out to various educational and fun activities, tryinAnother piece of the puzzle is put together as more is revealed about Carlotta Carlyle’s intriguing world while reading this 3rd book in the series, especially about her little sister Paolina (from the Big Sisters program). Carlotta takes her responsibility towards her little “sister” very seriously. She has been a big sister to Paolina since the little girl was 7 and has spent a lot of time with her, trying to teach her self-worth, taking her out to various educational and fun activities, trying to let her see things beyond her own little world, also teaching her that women can fend for themselves something Paolina’s own mother Marta, coming from her very traditional Latino world isn’t teaching her daughter.But first of all, let’s not forget that Carlotta is an investigator, and this time the case begins when a young immigrant woman comes to Carlotta and asks for her help in recovering a green card which she claims is hers and which was found on a woman who was brutally murdered. When Carlotta begins investigating, she becomes embroiled with Immigration officials, drug lords, and so-called "coyotes" who make a profit from people who are desperate to enter the U.S. She senses that Paolina is somehow involved and this puts up a wall between Paolina, her mother, and Carlotta. Adding a little spice is the handsome young INS man who flirts with Carlotta and tempts her to betray Sam, who is on a trip abroad. This wasn’t perhaps the best plot I read, but it’s good enough and I liked it.

Carlotta Carlyle is certainly one of my favorite female investigators (private or otherwise). Her world, her friends, her relatives are quite unconventional and interesting. I especially like Mooney, her friend and ex-colleague cop. I like it that they still work together and help each other. Carlotta is a tall, red-headed, wisecracking, volleyball-playing private investigator who drives a cab on the side, and I really like her sense of loyalty, devotion and honour. ...more

#3 Carlotta Carlyle mystery featuring the PI and sometime-cabbie in Boston, MA. A young Spanish-speaking woman, possibly an illegal from some Central American country, comes to Carlotta as a walk-in client. She has with her one of Carlotta's business cards and a newspaper, pointing to an article about a dead woman named Manuela Estefan. The woman claims in halting Spanish that the dead person isn't Manuela Estefan--SHE is, and the woman had her green card. She wants Carlotta to get it back witho#3 Carlotta Carlyle mystery featuring the PI and sometime-cabbie in Boston, MA. A young Spanish-speaking woman, possibly an illegal from some Central American country, comes to Carlotta as a walk-in client. She has with her one of Carlotta's business cards and a newspaper, pointing to an article about a dead woman named Manuela Estefan. The woman claims in halting Spanish that the dead person isn't Manuela Estefan--SHE is, and the woman had her green card. She wants Carlotta to get it back without involving the police, and she seems decidedly afraid. When Carlotta leaves the room briefly, the woman disappears, leaving behind an envelope with five crisp hundred-dollar bills behind, but no way to contact her. She turns up dead a couple of days later, much the same way the original woman was killed--with her hands cut off!

Tackling a big social issue of essentially slavery of illegals for cheap labor, this book tells the story of how a "coyote" operates, helping get people to the country and then basically using them for whatever they want to. Meanwhile, Carlotta's "little sister" Paolina--her sister from the Big Sisters program--has returned from Columbia with her mother, where she's been visiting for several weeks. Paolina, now almost eleven, seems changed--she's started back-talking, skipping school, and where the relatively happy and enthusiastic girl had been is a dejected, sullen one and she won't talk to Carlotta about it or explain why. Paolina's behavior and the murder investigation ultimately end up tied together.

I didn't figure out the bad guy in this one til very near the end, and I've enjoyed getting to know Carlotta a little better with each book in the series. This was the first one I'd read in print (I listened to the others in audio) and liked the smooth, easy-reading style just as much as I enjoyed listening to the others....more

Finished rereading 09/29/2011. Carlotta wonders why her "little sister" Paolina is so distant after her return from her mothers visit to Columbia for her Marta's father's funeral. C.C. is hired to find an immigrant's green card after a murder. She becomes involved with an investigation into illegals working in a local sweat shop and four murders of these women. She with the help of Mooney finds that all the trouble turns around a rogue INS agent.

This is the 3rd book in the Carlotta Carlyle series. I am really enjoying these books. Carlotta is my summer book companion this year. The setting of the book was the late 80s but the immigration issues are still relevant today. It is funny to have a detective running around without a cell phone and using a dial up computer connect and only having access to AOL but the stories are compelling and the characters engaging.

I just could not get pulled into this book. Perhaps if I had not been on vacation and unable to read for longer stretches I could have stayed focused. It didn't help that this is the third book in the series but the first one I have read.

This was a choice of the library mystery club. I enjoyed the main character being a woman detective. The story involved illegal immigrant women & children trying to survive in the Boston area. I was disappointed with the ending of the story.

I bought this book several years ago, was attracted by the description on the back side and the comments of literary journalists.

The back side said it was a 'quick, well written story'. The subject: detectives, immigrants, murder. But nevertheless the story didn't catch me. I found Carlotta Carlyle, the main character, a detective, very annoying, chaotic, not a character that I found anything in common with.

I gave it a try, and a second read, but now I got to page 89 I decided to stop readingI bought this book several years ago, was attracted by the description on the back side and the comments of literary journalists.

The back side said it was a 'quick, well written story'. The subject: detectives, immigrants, murder. But nevertheless the story didn't catch me. I found Carlotta Carlyle, the main character, a detective, very annoying, chaotic, not a character that I found anything in common with.

I gave it a try, and a second read, but now I got to page 89 I decided to stop reading and send out the book via bookcrossing. I hope it'll find someone who likes it better than me....more

Illegal immigration is such an icky, hot-button, no win issue. Green cards and using illegal workers were the focus of Coyote by Linda Barnes, and these issues touched the people close to PI Carlotta Carlisle. I did not enjoy this 3rd book in the series because of the subject matter. I also think I wasn't in a hard-boiled mystery mood. I would continue reading this series at a later time as I still like the characters, even when the subject matter is uncomfortable.

Another enjoyable Carlotta Carlyle mystery. I enjoy how Linda Barnes continues to develop the character of Carlotta and the secondary characters. Carlotta continues to grow and develop rather than remain static as is often the case in series. I am looking forward to reading the next book!

PROTAGONIST: Carlotta Carlyle, cab driver and PISETTING: BostonSERIES: book #3RATING: 3.0I like the protagonist in this series, but sometimes struggle with the secondary characters. The plot in this one has to do with illegal immigration. A large part of the book deals with the problems of Carlotta's Little Sister, Paolina. I'm not overly fond of this relationship. The plot is average.

When you find a new mystery writer, or, rather, randomly pluck one from the infinite sea of mystery writers, there's a favorable glow glossing over their work. Unless they get better, though, you will lose interest the longer the series goes. Book three is a good one to bet on--the first caught your attention. The second was probably much like the first. The third is where they will take chances.

I'm becoming more and more fond of this series. Maybe I wasn't sensitive to the character's inner conflicts in the other novels but it really jumped out at me in this book. It gave the characters more complexity in this already character driven mystery series.There always seems to be an element of politics or bureaucracy in the plots and I'm thankful that that aspect is not over-done.

Another Carlotta Carlyle book. This one is about immigration in Central America and what looks like a serial murderer stalking illegals. Also Paolina (her "little sister") has found out her father is a different man from the one she always thought was her dad, so she too is worrying about deportation. Not a terrific story, but it moves along ok.

I really liked this book. It wasn't great literature, but it kept me interested through the end. This was the first book I've read by this author, and while not the first in the series, it was the first my library had. I didn't feel too behind from not reading the first two. I like the main character and will look for more of these books.

This is not about the animal a coyote, it is about abduction and selling people to an awful life frequently in another country. I foound this to be extremely intense and very tangled with other characters lives. When there is someone this evil in your past you are never really free of them. Try this book it is great.

This was an entertaining, good light read, perfect for those times when you need an escape -- like, for example when your digestive system is in open rebellion and you just want to be somewhere else while it calms down. Suspenseful, engaging characters, not too deep. I'll read more of her books.

My first Carlotta Carlyle book, an impressive story. Carlotta Carlyle reminds me a lot of Sara Paretsy's feisty heroine V.I.Warshawski. The coyote of the title is someone who smuggles people across borders usually from Latin America into the USA.

Linda Barnes is an American mystery writer, born and raised in Detroit, and graduated from Boston University"s School of Theater. She is best known for her series featuring Carlotta Carlyle, a 6'1" redheaded detective from Boston. Carlotta Carlyle is often compared to the hard-boiled female detectives created by Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky. Her new novel, "The Perfect Ghost," which will be publiLinda Barnes is an American mystery writer, born and raised in Detroit, and graduated from Boston University"s School of Theater. She is best known for her series featuring Carlotta Carlyle, a 6'1" redheaded detective from Boston. Carlotta Carlyle is often compared to the hard-boiled female detectives created by Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky. Her new novel, "The Perfect Ghost," which will be published in April, 2013, is her first stand-alone mystery.